Best trekking season in Nepal should be taken into consideration while planning for trekking trips in the country. It is of no revelation that certain months and seasons are generally better and more suited for trekking in the mountains than others. Clear weather with as little haze, mist and clouds are more preferred than the days where white mist and brume cover the sights of the Himalayas obstructing the view. Cancellation of flights due to heavy rain or snow is also an inconvenience, especially if trekkers are under a limited time frame. While trekking in Nepal can be done throughout the year, trekking at certain seasons provide more enjoyment and clarity than others. Seasons in Nepal are generally divided into four. Distinct in their own regards, trekking at various seasons has its own perks and cons. The choice of seasons also plays a role in making trekking journeys memorable and good. The choices also differ according to people’s preferences as well; some might like trekking under heavy snow while others would rather go about drenching in the rain while hopping from site to site (very unlikely but there still is a tiny plausibility!). But owning to a large majority of people, trekking on dry clear warm weather is the one most people go for. We are going to be discussing the best trekking season in Nepal and the time of the year most favorable for trekking at various destinations.

Autumn Season (September – November)

Autumn is considered as the best trekking season in Nepal and the months of September, October and November are also the most recommended and preferred months because of favorable weather conditions. With clear skies, the views of the mountains appear pellucid and are the most beautiful to look at. The trekking trails are also neither too wet nor too slippery. Occasional short storms tend to happen every now and then but it clears up pretty fast. Light snow also occurs at high altitudes. September marks the end of monsoon in Nepal. Early days of September experiences light showers but by mid-September, the monsoon clouds exhaust themselves and dissipate, clearing up the skies, with a few harmless stray altocumulus clouds lingering. The weather turns dry and clear and is neither too scorching in the southern plains nor exceedingly freezing in the northern mountains. Days are warmer and nights are pretty cool. The bright shining of the Sun makes the day pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 20° C during the day and falling to around 5° C at night on the elevations ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 meters. Higher altitudes have temperature variations dropping to negative degrees at night. With glittery skies, Autumn is the best trekking season in Nepal. Treks to Ghorepani and Poon Hill in Annapurna are ornamented with the best natural beauties and a rich enhancement of natural pulchritude. Furthermore, Autumn is also the season when the major festival of Dashain and Tihar is celebrated in Nepal. Also known as the “festival of Victory” and “the festival of Light” respectively, the time around these festivals are full of merry-making and shrouded in an excited ambiance. The Chhath festival is also celebrated where the Sun God is worshipped for his blessing. The deciduous trees change color and their tincture ranges from emerald green to a beautiful shade of yellow and orange. Trekking trails are adorned with rhododendron blossoms and the landscape of various destinations is utterly brimming with natural beguile. As Autumn is a transition period after the ending of Summer and the beginning of Winter, harvesting is also done during these months.

Winter Season (December – February)

The months of December to February are the coldest time of the year in Nepal. High altitude trekking during Winter is generally not recommended because everything, including the trekking trails, are covered in heavy layers of snow. The temperature drops down to below negative degrees and is freezing. Lower-altitude trekking can be done however. As a result, there are less trekkers found on the trail on high altitudes. Albeit being colder at night, the days have clear sun shines and blue skies. People can often be seen enjoying the snug and toasty morning rays of the Sun during winters. Climbing and crossing High Passes on the mountains definitely isn’t ideal on winters. Journey to the Everest Base Camp can be accomplished nonetheless. The month of December is good for hiking and walking tours. With Christmas celebrations during December, Kathmandu Valley and the lake side city of Pokhara lights up with Christmas luster and has a general bustle of festivity. The mornings during January are foggy and mist covers the foothills of the mountains. Because of this, clear views of the mountains are not seen; rather, they are obstructed behind thick lour of cirrocumulus clouds. The month of February sees the celebration of the Tibetan New Year in Nepal. Called Losar in Nepali, many delicious traditional food is cooked and consumed by Buddhist people and there is singing and dancing. The sights of the mountains and the mountainous terrains look like something straight out of a fairy tale book, with fogs shrouding entire villages and particular parts of the landscape being covered by white and misty condensation. Winter might not be the best trekking season in Nepal, but trekkers can still enjoy low altitude hikes and treks and look at sights of settlements and farms veiled with mystical haze.

Spring Season (March – May)

With florescent blooms and verdant flowers blossoming- Spring is definitely the best trekking season in Nepal. The woodlands and the forests grow new buds and the flowers tend to have a vibrant tincture in springtime. The trekking trails turn into natural canopies of rhododendron blossoms and pasturelands at high mountains are adorned with emerald foliages. The paradise-like cumulations of trekking destinations include the Langtang Valley, where natural beauties and magnificent sights of the mountains present an irresistible experience. The clouds disperse completely, letting in the sun shine. Blue skies are speckled with cirrus clouds and the majestic views of the mountains emerge in all their glory. Moderate temperatures make way for perfect trekking journeys and beautiful landscapes. Tourists start pouring in and peak best trekking season in Nepal commences in March. The festival of Holi is also celebrated in March. Called “the festival of Colors”, it is a celebration of the death of the demon Holika who wanted to burn her nephew Prahlad but burned herself in the end. People celebrate by throwing colors at each other and embracing brotherhood among people. With sunny and flowery days in April with light spring showers in May, Spring season makes trekking journeys extraordinarily beautiful!

Summer Season (June – August)

Summer time from June to the end days of August makes trekking wet and warm. Summer blooms ornament the trails on higher valleys and pastures on the mountains. The vegetation grows lush and thick because summer also has strong torrential downpours that fall on random occasions. Trekking on destinations like Upper Mustang is ideal to undergo during this season as Upper Mustang lies on Mount Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Peak’s rain shadow, thus receiving less torrents of rain, if any at all. The moisture builds up in the air and the trekking trails turn damp because of the humidity. Because of this buildup, the rain in the summer is often welcoming as the heat tends to swelter in the cities. Summer might not be the best trekking season in Nepal, but the verdancy of the forests and woodlands enhances the contrast of natural tincture as the luminary emerald of the vegetation brightens against the grey of the sky. July and August tends to experience juxtaposed days where the Sun shines with all its might and the day also sees heavy downpour. Dark and heavy cumulonimbus clouds float on the sky, occasionally blocking the sun behind. With a wide variance of various destinations ripe for trekking at all times throughout the year, best trekking season would amount be Autumn and Spring. Summer and Winter also has trickles of trekkers but not as much as Autumn and Spring. But trekking never stops in Nepal and people can still undergo trekking at any season or month they choose. All four seasons have their distinct presentation on the land, its vegetation and the topography. So each season provides a sui generis trekking experience!

Best Trekking Seasons in Nepal.

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